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ABSTRACT
The harmonization of accounting standards is a fast-growing international trend with
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as the front runner having broad-based
acceptance. The paper seeks to summarize the findings of various studies regarding the
adoption of IFRS by developing countries. It deliberates the reasons for IFRS adoption by these
nations, the issues and challenges of the transition, the economic impact of the process, and the
recommendations by various authors. The paper examines the existing literature for studies on
the ongoing IFRS convergence through Ind AS adoption in India and concludes that there is
paucity of studies with specific reference to India. It recommends further case-based studies on
Indian corporates for analyzing the impact of IFRS convergence on their performance as well
as business perception survey to assess the level of preparedness in the corporate setup for this
transition. In view of the ongoing phased mandatory adoption of Ind AS by Indian corporates,
the paper attempts value addition by highlighting specific areas of concern for Indian
corporates, particularly multinationals listed on foreign stock exchanges. Financial impact on
the companies could have broader ramifications for the Indian economy. The paper seeks to
identify future research areas that may assist the corporates in risk identification and
mitigation strategies for Ind AS transition. This paper is limited in its scope to existing research
on the impact of IFRS on developing countries. It has practical implications for researchers,
accountants, corporates and policy-makers about IFRS convergence in India.
*Corresponding Author
E-mail: anureetsahi@gmail.com
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Deliberating Upon the IFRS Norms and Compliance Sahi and Verma
produce. Markets are the spontaneous tool options for both buyers and sellers to
of exchange that have arisen historically in match their different payoffs, preferences
all civilizations and cultures as people find and incentives.
value in trade. The voluntary exchange of
resources through market trading creates Economic theory propounds that individuals
wealth with prices guiding the terms of the as well as business entities are rational, i.e.,
trade (quantity, quality, time duration, total they take decisions to maximize their utility
value, delivery place, etc.). or profits and that decisions are taken at the
margin. This implies that the marginal
Global economics is concerned with the benefit of an option should outweigh the
objective of maximization of utility for the marginal cost for it to be exercised. From an
individuals as well as collective human economic standpoint, investments are the
society within the constraint of scarcity of giving up of present-day utility for a higher
resources. It encompasses the production, value in the long term. The free flow of
distribution, and consumption of goods international capital is a natural progression
and services across the globe from of lenders seeking lucrative investment
producers to consumers. opportunities and borrowers seeking
funding at the cheapest cost. A free and fair
Global trade is thereby driven by transfer process is an essential pre-requisite
producers and consumers seeking to for the growth of trade. Advancements in
minimize their opportunity cost by making technology, travel, communication,
choices with the highest utility. Cross- medicine, etc. are shaping the demand and
border transactions increase the size and supply of goods and services across the
depth of markets increasing the available globe.
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eISSN: 2581-6810
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The advent of digital payment mechanisms though it does not espouse a formal
in the global economy in the past few definition for the term. Even in the absence
decades is an enabler for financial capital of a universally accepted definition and list
markets worldwide as well as cross-border of developing nations or emerging market
transactions. These financial transaction economies, it is observed that most of these
mechanisms serve the cause of free nations are typically characterized by
markets by standardizing the transfer higher growth rates since the late 1990s and
process, making it fair, transparent, lower standards of human development
cheaper and easier to access for retail. than those of developed nations.
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Deliberating Upon the IFRS Norms and Compliance Sahi and Verma
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has found widespread support from the These also give rise to opportunity for
G20 and other major international unethical gains by insider trading,
organizations, many governments, information trading, etc., as evidenced by
business associations, investors and the number of cases like Enron and
worldwide members of the accountancy Harshad Mehta in the history of stock
profession. markets worldwide. Thus, it is fair to infer
that increased information symmetry in
The first international standards-setting markets on a global scale would support
body was the International Accounting reduced number of instances of moral
Standards Committee (IASC) set up in hazard as well as minimize costs due to
1973. In 2001, the International Financial mis-selection of projects for funding on
Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation account of lack of information.
established the International Accounting Availability of financial information that is
Standards Board (IASB) as an independent of high quality and internationally
standard setting body of the IFRS. The comparable would go a long way in
IFRS Foundation and the IASB define the improving the symmetric dissemination of
IFRS as standards issued by them so as to information to all market players and
provide a common global language for thereby enhanced economic efficiency
business affairs in order that through optimal capital rationing and
company accounts are understandable and utilization.
comparable across international
boundaries and therefore reliable and Impact of IFRS Adoption on Foreign
relevant for internal and external users. Investment Inflows
The Board develops and maintains IFRS Inconsistency in financial reporting
with the objective of being a set of high- between national and international
quality, understandable, enforceable and standards may lead to time lags between
globally accepted standards based upon public dissemination and interpretation of
clearly articulated accounting principles. the financial results by international
The Board is not empowered with any investors and thereby reduce their interest.
authority, whatsoever, to ensure the Akpomi et al. [1] tested a sample of 48
compliance with the prescribed standards. African countries in using the fixed-effect
Entities that comply with IFRS voluntarily, model for regression to identify impact of
or in compliance with requirements of a IFRS adoption on the flow of FDIs. They
particular jurisdiction, must comply with concluded that that there was enough
all of the individual IFRS and IFRS evidence to support the hypothesis that
Interpretations (Interpretations) issued by IFRS adoption has a positive effect on the
the Board. The standards generally contain flow of FDIs. The study also identified
principles and accompanying application expected increases in comparability of
guidance, both of which are mandatory financial reporting, improvement in
and carry equal weight. regulatory quality, and reduced
information asymmetries as well as foreign
Economic efficiency requires informed investors’ cost as incentives for IFRS
decision-making by investors and other compliance. The results were supported by
market participants. The information the existence of positive co-relation
asymmetry between firms and external between IFRS adoption and increased FDI,
capital providers and overall lack of and that it is more visible in countries with
transparency in the system are factors lower quality of financial information and
contributing to suboptimal financing and hence by, regulatory quality prior to IFRS
funding decisions by market players. adoption.
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Deliberating Upon the IFRS Norms and Compliance Sahi and Verma
Singleton-Green [2] examined more than global peers, reduction in transaction costs
200 research papers on “the impact of that were previously incurred by global
mandatory IFRS adoption in the EU”. It investors for understanding the financial
was deduced from the research that IFRS statements and thereby increased FDI flows
adoption affects positively the quality of between countries. They also noted that
financial reporting and its international IFRS adoption leads to the reduction in
comparability, market liquidity, cross- information asymmetry between foreign
border flows, cost of funds (capital) and investors and domestic investors, and this
economic efficiency of corporate contributes to better results for global IPOs
investments. It was also observed that the as compared to domestic IPOs, thus leading
results varied across a spectrum depending to positive impact on IPO underpricing. The
on the company selected for research and study also noted that regulators around the
the applicable operating countries. The world are also benefitted by availability of
impacts of IFRS adoption and that of globally comparable information.
improved regulatory enforcement appeared
to be overlapping and could not be IFRS can contribute to economic efficiency
segregated in a quantitative manner and so and capital allocation. The implementation
the magnitude of impact of IFRS adoption of a single accounting language would
could not be determined in quantitative reduce the cost of international reporting.
terms. This would enable the comparison of
sources of funding internationally, thereby
M´arquez-Ramos [3] analyzed the impact lowering the cost of capital. Investors
of IFRS adoption on macro-economics of would be able to use the comparable data to
countries in the European Union using identify opportunities and risks across the
gravity framework. The results support the world. Results of a study by Lungu,
positive impact of accounting Caraiani, & Dascalu [5] on the impact of
harmonization on trade and FDI, with IFRS adoption on FDI conducted on
greater benefits observed in transition Eastern European countries indicated that
economies. Also, the paper states that the the benefit of higher FDI inflows is likely
results vary across countries on account of to accrue to IFRS adopting countries as
their behavioral variation in aversion to compared to non-adopters. Further, it also
unfamiliarity. concluded that the listed companies are
likely to benefit more as compared to non-
Kapellas & Siougle [4] examined the listed companies. Gordon, Loeb, & Zhu [6]
impact of IFRS adoption worldwide on concluded that there is statistically
investment assets, FDIs, mergers and significant positive association between
acquisitions (cross-border investments), and IFRS adoption and enhanced FDI inflows
ownership by foreign mutual funds (FIIs). for developing countries, while the same
The researchers found evidence to support could not be observed for developed
the view that there is a positive correlation countries.
between IFRS adoption and investment
efficiencies, firm-level capital efficiency, Studies undertaken by the IFRS Foundation
demand for equities by institutional have documented benefits of IFRS adoption
investors, and foreign equity portfolio for some companies such as a lower cost of
investments (FDIs). The results of the study capital, ease of a common standard in
also inferred the positive impact of IFRS internal reporting, improved ability to
adoption on accountability in financial compare operating units in different
reporting through increases in quality and jurisdictions, reduction in number of
volume of financial disclosures, the greater reporting systems, and flexibility to move
comparability of financial statements with staff with IFRS experience around the
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Deliberating Upon the IFRS Norms and Compliance Sahi and Verma
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Deliberating Upon the IFRS Norms and Compliance Sahi and Verma
auditing, government, regulatory and [4] Kapellas, K., & Siougle, G. (2018).
policy-makers’ perspectives. The Effect of IFRS Adoption on
Investment Management: A Review
CONCLUSIONS of the Literature. Technology and
The results of various studies appear to Investment (9), 1-23.
conclude that the benefits of IFRS adoption [5] Lungu, C., Caraiani, C., & Dascalu,
outweigh the costs, even though the C. (2017). The Impact of IFRS
modalities of adoption need to be Adoption on Foreign Direct
customized for each economic jurisdiction. Investments: Insights for Emerging
Further in-depth analysis is required to Countries. Accounting in Europe , 14
assess business perception toward IFRS (3), 331-357.
adoption in India in terms of level of [6] Gordon, L. A., Loeb, M. P., & Zhu,
preparedness, critical factors for successful W. (2012). The impact of IFRS
adoption and the expected benefits. adoption on foreign direct
Quantitative analysis of financial results of investment. Journal of Accounting
key Indian corporates who have undertaken and Public Policy (31), 374-398.
mandatory compliance with Ind AS would [7] International Federation of
also be beneficial for assessing the potential Accountants (2018). International
impact on Indian economy post IFRS Standards: 2017 Global Status
convergence in the country. Report. Available from: https://www.
ifac.org/accountancy-without-
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